Large Autonomous Research Vessel Enters Service

China has fielded its first large uncrewed, AI-controlled research drone, reports the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong).

The Zhuhaiyun officially entered service on Jan. 12 after the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory conducted sea trials and evaluated the vessel’s autonomous navigation capabilities.

The ship can navigate autonomously in open water or operate under remote control, reported the state-run China Central Television (CCTV). It can carry dozens of uncrewed aerial, surface and underwater vehicles.

Zhuhaiyun is scheduled to conduct several surveying tasks this year, including marine mapping and observation, sea patrols and survey sampling.

The vessel has a length of 290 feet (88.5 m), width of 46 feet (14 m) and weight of 2,100 tons. Its average cruise speed is 14 mph (13 knots), with a top speed of 20 mph (18 knots).